“We are rushing toward the first year anniversary of the EPBC Act Amendment, and in that time, we have not seen major improvements on outcomes for the Endangered Maugean skate. The only beneficiary of that decision is the polluting salmon industry. At the cost of nature and the Tasmanian brand.” Jess Coughlan, Environment Tasmania.

FOI documents, released late Tuesday afternoon, reveal that advice from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to then Environment Minister Plibersek was to move forth with a decision on the reconsideration of the 2012 Macquarie Harbour salmon farming expansion approvals under the EPBC Act.

The decision to revoke the original 2012 expansion approvals and substitute the “uncontrolled action decision” with a “controlled action” would have actively worked to preserve the World Heritage Area values including the endangered Maugean Skate.

The documents reveal that in January 2025 Minister Plibersek was advised that it was “open to her” to be satisfied that the revocation and substitution of the original decision with a controlled action decision is warranted in accordance with section 78 of the EPBC Act.

Just two months later, the Albanese Government rushed through a bill to gut the environment laws, allowing the next Federal Environment Minister, Murray Watt, to avoid making the decision that would ultimately preserve both the World Heritage value of Macquarie Harbour and, according to the science, preserve the future survival of the Maugean Skate.

The documents state:

“The department recommends that you notify the marine operators of your proposed decision on the reconsideration.” The reasons for the decision were in line with the obligations of protecting:

● World heritage values of a declared world heritage property,

● National Heritage values of a national heritage place

● Listed threatened species and communities”

Jess Coughlan, Environment Tasmania said:

“We are rushing toward the first year anniversary of the EPBC Act amendment, and in that time, we have not seen major improvements on outcomes for the skate. The only beneficiary of the government’s decision is the polluting salmon industry. At the cost of nature and the Tasmanian brand.”

“This FOI revelation shows that Australia’s nature laws were doing exactly what they were intended to do – protecting threatened species and our World Heritage Areas. It should concern Tasmanians, Australians, and the international community that the Australian government actively intervened in the outcome, placing Tasmania’s globally-recognized wilderness and an ancient species at imminent risk.”

All comments attributed to Jess Coughlan Senior campaigner at Environment Tasmania 0431684741 [email protected]